The meanings of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Published Aug. 14, 2007 By Capt. Colin Burchfield 14th Medical Operations Squadron COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. -- Over the past few years, I have conducted a great deal of research on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The results of my research may surprise some, but not everyone. First, I found that the process for those involved, such as doctors, teachers, parents and children, with an ADHD diagnosis and medication prescription is complex. Parents, for example, go through a difficult process in looking at their children's ADHD-related behaviors differently. This view leads them to believe that a diagnosis and medication is necessary. This process is usually slow, moving from looking at the behaviors as "fun-loving" to looking at those same behaviors as being a problem. Other parents, teachers, and especially doctors are important in this process. Parents decide that their children need medication after listening to others who said the child needed to be medicated. While parents are the main decision-makers in the process, doctors have the most influence in changing a parent's views. A doctor's statements about a child's behavior greatly influences a parent's understanding of their child's behavior. Parents decide that their child's behaviors require medication in order to be corrected based on what the doctor said. Recognition that children do not like to take the medication is noted. However, the fact that children do not like taking medication is dismissed as unimportant. The focus is placed on correcting the behaviors through medication. Those involved with children diagnosed with ADHD also experience the notion that ADHD is caused by either a genetic problem or a chemical imbalance of the brain. As a result, these "defects" cause the children to act in ways characteristic of ADHD. Looking at ADHD and medication treatment in this way means that no one is truly responsible for problem behaviors. Since the behaviors are caused by something outside of anyone's control, no one can be held responsible for the behaviors. It is the fault of the genes or the chemical only; not any human being. The children are only doing what their biology told them to do. However, some teachers and parents feel that children should be held responsible for their behaviors. In addition to the notion of children having a chemical imbalance, there is also a sense that the problem lay somewhere within the children. As a result, changes in relationships were unimportant in correcting the problem within the children. So, while there is a view of the children being different in some way from others, the children's own view of this difference is considered unimportant to correcting the problem behavior. The implications of these findings are immense. First, they imply that social pressures to make decisions are huge. Second, they imply the children's understanding of their own behaviors is relatively unimportant. Third, they imply that children's reactions to taking the medication are relatively unimportant. Finally, they imply that such children diagnosed with ADHD are not responsible and cannot be held accountable for their behaviors. It is my feeling that most parents prefer to think that they are not easily persuaded by others' input and that they take their children's feelings into account. A parent's primary motivation is the best interest of their children. Parents also have a sense of ensuring that the best interest of those involved with their children is addressed. Finally, parents have a sense of responsibility toward improving society. However, the results of my research indicate that these motivations may be compromised to some extent. Given this possible compromise of motivations, in the next of this series of articles, I offer some alternative views and recommendations for parents of children diagnosed with ADHD. These certainly are not a complete list. They are aimed at beginning further discussion about behaviors that are frequently diagnosed as ADHD.
